Design and analysis of satellite networks

The utilization of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites for global communications is only beginning, especially for high-speed data communications. The application of LEO satellites to high-speed communications is being used to reduce the latency within the network, particularly when a global system is considered. The infant nature of using LEO satellite communications for solving high-speed data problems is one being actively considered by a number of different major network and aerospace companies. The inter-satellite communications network connections concepts available only in the LEO implementations enable many of these advantages. LEO satellite communications systems are extremely complex and the associated network infrastructures have numerous problems needing a systematic solution approach. Among the most intriguing and least known aspects is the inter-satellite network routing.; The purpose of this dissertation is to establish analytical techniques applicable to the dimensioning of satellite networks. Employing the spherical and restricted structure of the satellite networks, graph theory is used to develop the network performance approach based upon the unique and quantitative attributes that flow number and nodal flow number provide. Analysis by a single network node is used to determine the network flow number greatly simplifying any previous analytical derivations. Further network analysis coupled with flow number and nodal flow number provides analytical techniques that enable the rapid determination and assessment of the satellite network initial performance. The satellite network dimensioning and the effects of failed nodes, link capacity, as well as addressing the seam and crosslink shutdown requirements established for LEO satellite networks, are readily evaluated using the analytical techniques developed. Comparisons are made to existing systems using the developed analytical techniques and the differences are shown minimal, thereby validating the analytical techniques used.